As you all could have seen, did I go to Kuala Lumpur to test the New Lufthansa Business Class.
I have heard lots of things about that and wanted to find out myself how I would experience the flight. In the past ( 2001 ) I have tested Lufthansa also and at that time I flew one segment in First and one segment in Business Class. The service was from a very high standard at that time.

Arrived at MUC / FRANS JOSEF STRAUSS AIRPORT at around 1800 hours on a flight from Amsterdam. I wanted to visit the Senators Lounge but it was quite full, had a quick drink and graphed some snacks and went to make some photo’s of the new airport.

At 20.35 the boarding started of my flight to Kuala Lumpur. The flight had a stopover at Bangkok airport. Because of the Tsunami disaster and the many dead and injured people there as well as tourists also from Germany, made my trip a bit weird. But the flight was already planned two weeks before the earthquake hit the area in Asia. I boarded the flight some 15 minutes before the other passengers where boarding the flight. This gave me some time to make these kinds of photo’s. I was welcomed by the very friendly and professional crew.

They showed me around and told me everything about the new 2 class configuration on the airbus 340-600. There is no First Class anymore onboard but a new business class product that is of such a high level of quality that you can say you are travelling First Class.

First the Lavatories

For the Economy Class there are 6 lavatories downstairs in a special made container.

The Business Class passenger got the normal lavatories, but with one special thing. A toilet with your own window. I have never seen that before but you can close the blinds if you don’t want anybody to see you.

The New lLie-Flat Seat

Then it was time to check my Lie-flat seat. The cabin got a special layout. Rows 1 to 9 have there own cabin in front of the plane. Then you have the kitchen and after the kitchen you have rows 10 and 11. seating is a 2-2-2 configuration. I liked the two rows cabin, gives you a bit more privacy but you are closer to the Economy class cabin. I asked for row 11 K, a window seat and got that one also.

The seat is a lie-flat seat, that is suburb from design by Recardo. Very functional with stores space for your shoes. As I am quite tall ( 194 cm ) I always have a problem when the seat goes down to the floor that me feet got stuck under the seat in front of me. No problems with that in these new seats. It got a great massage function ( lovely ) what works for about 10 minutes. It felt like having my own massage lady under me. It goes up and down your lower back. I wished I had such a seat at home. The lie-flat position is also great, it goes a little bit further than the lie-flat seat from f.e. KLM. It gives you a bit more support in the lower area. You also have a pre memory button which lifts the seat up and down in the middle area to make you sit very comfortable. I have to say a perfect 10 for the seat from me. I slept great and was sitting and sleeping very comfortable all the way.

The Inflight Entertainment System

At the moment they still have a bit of problems with the video on demand system. Currently it’s not on demand, but will be in the near future. They are integrating the system slowly so they can have a good solution for the small problems. Featuring 22 video and 21 radio channels. BUT Lufthansa is the First Airline in the world to have such a technical in-flight entertainment system. No airline in the world got the possibility to have BROADBAND INTERNET during your flight. For a fixed price of USD $ 29,95 a flight you get access to the Boeing Internet Connexion. Sending e-mail with attachments all around the world, loin to your companies network, talking on MSM with your friends, all through your own laptop. What do you need a Wireless LAN network card. Also you can choose to surf the www for USD $ 9,95 for the first 30 minutes and $ 0,25 for each additional minute. Not on all the flights got internet access, so please check the Lufthansa website for details. The flight to KUL did not feature the new service, but soon I will fly to San Francisco and on that flight they got the service.

The Food

The food was very taste full, not a lot but enough. The choice was between:

2 Hors d’oevres
1 Salad
3 Entrees
3 Desserts

Drinks as much as you want as long as you don’t get drunk.
An excellent wine list as I have been told my the person who was sitting next to me. He was French and was a professional wine drinker. He told me what the best wine was any why.

Dinner

After this I felt for a nice relaxing rest of the flight. Used the chair massage and went for a sleep. They woke me up for lunch and washed myself with the hot towel.

Lunch

Amenity Kit

I found the toothbrush and cleaned my teeth.
In the lavatories there is also Mouthwash to give you a fresh taste.

Landing at Bangkok

What a hugh engines got the Airbus 340-600

Making a right hand turn towards runway 21L over this Golf Centre

And yes, even after you landed in the middle of the airport, you will find in between Runway 21L and 21R a Golf Course. People waiting to pass.

Senator Lounge

Because you have to get off during the refuelling of the plane, I had some time to visit Bangkok Airport and the Lufthansa Business Lounge. Lufthansa got a own business lounge at BKK Airport. All the facilities are there as well as a internet connection. Not free but you buy a cheap short internet card and you can access the web. I left my card there with 20 minutes to go for the nect person. The card was costing me $ 4,00.

Bangkok Airport

Getting better every Year !!!!!!!!!!

Finally one of our own KDC-10's helping the Tsunami victims in Thailand.
Well done guys

After a stop for 1hours and 30 minutes we left for a short flight to Kuala Lumpur passing the Tsunami Disaster Area by Air.

Thanks I loved making the report.
Next month I will do Qatar Airways, American and Virgin Atlantic how it now looks.

@RichardBHX

Yes I work as a professional Photographer
Check http://www.persfoto.com
This was just out of the hand how we call it.
No studio session ( studio lights ) and made in about 10 minutes.
Camera Canon D1 Mark 2, lens 24-70 2.8 ( could have used a 14 mm lens for the Lie-flat seat but left it at home)

Thank you a lot for sharing, why can't every trip report be as good as this one?
Honestly, your work is excellent ( so is your Virgin Blue report! ) and I really hope you will share all your future trips with the forum! Amazing, thanks!

Mention is made of the window in the toilet. I have subsequently looked at lots of pictures of the A346 (particularly belonging to LH) in the data base and have not been able to spot this window in any of them.

Perhaps someone can help. If the toilet is below the main deck, then surely the window, must be situated somewhere lower than the normal line of windows and also near the front of the aircraft, since it was in business class that the photo was taken.

The toilet where this photo has been made is the toilet in between row 9 and 10. You have 9 rows BC than the toiket en kitchen and the 2 other rows in a seperate cabin. I als went to the toilet in the front of Row 1 and if i remember it right there was also a window. Indeed only the EC got there toilets ( 6 ) downstairs

Excellent report Andy! I am surprised to see how good LH was up front. The reason I opted to start flying KL a few years ago was the rather mediocre business class LH product. Looks like the tides have changed now, having just flown KL's 777 this past December. I might just have to give good old Lufthansa a try now.

Great report and pics! The new LH Business Class looks very comfortable - I flew them a few years ago in business (JFK-FRA) and was less than impressed with the seats and amenities, although the flight attendants were excellent.

(Looks like the only thing LH is still lacking on is the goodie bag - I've seen better amenity bags in coach on VS. C'mon, LH, you can do better than that!)

Excellent report Andy and amazing crispy pictures. You being a pro photographer, can you suggest a particular brand of camera (both digital and the classic) that is automatic for us amateurs that can almost equate the crispness of your pictures? Don't know much about photography and so my question may not even have any sense at all.

I would go for any canon Digital camera of at least 5.0 MP
I want to buy one for quick snapshots. If I am travelling and carry my photocase ( 6 kg) I am getting sick of it. So I would say go for a Canon Ixus 500. Nice ccd chip and easy to carry. I would go for digital and not the anoloog camera's . For website publications a Pro Camera like mine D1Mark 2 is excellent for publications but most of the time you don't need that.

PS sometimes my photo's are being rejected on a.net because of the bad scan The problem is that I don't scan, so i don't upload a lot to a.net

25 BA380
: great report. the new J class looks pretty good, although the screen looks a long way away from you. The goodie bag also looks pretty cheap. but overa

26 Skippy777
: The screen is indeed a bit futher then normaly, but the quality of the screen is excellent and looked very clear also from a bit further distance. 10.

27 Airbus3801
: Great report and pictures. I do however have a few questions about the internet access. Can't you just get it without paying if you have integrated wi

28 Skippy777
: @airbus3801 Yes you can logon for free to the website of Lufthansa. My Lan B/G also configures automatically but you have to login to get full access.